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I nod and then he kisses me, in a way he’s never kissedood-bye to whatever we have now, in case it disappears I wish the kiss could go on forever, life would be so easy if it could, but it ends, way too soon in my opinion

"Should ake everyone up?" I ask Alex as I lean forward and collect theball fro a line up and down the back of my neck

It sounds like a siood-bye is painful and will probably upset everyone, but what Iball could potentially erase everything we have and Ito be an optimist for once" I cup the crystal ball in ood-bye so I can tellto work out… This will all be fine"

It has to be I have a mom upstairs, branded by the mark of evil, a beautiful vampire friend, who is so sad my heart breaks for him, a witch friend who is afraid to shoho she really is, and a gorgeous guy I feel so , we could die But hopefully, I have the power to reive them a future without death, loneliness, and despair

So squaringroom I open my hand and let the Purple Flaht up orry and I can sense a panicked protest coive him a small smile "This is what I wasball inthe walls and the floor as the light ripples around the rooed inside the ball

Chapter 27

When I openroo ball sparkles in it, hissing and crackling as if it’s a hollow log

"It didn’t work" Alex frowns disappointed, yet relieved

I frown, too "But I felt it work"

Alex leans closer to inspect theit "Maybe the Purple Flaet the idea from a random note left on your bed And we don’t even knoho left the note"

Someone who smells an awful lot like Nicholas, I want to say, but don’t want to look insane "Yeah, but, the Purple Flalance at the fla ot to be used for it"

We stare at the flah, re ball froht I had it"

"Maybe that’s the proble ball down on the coffee table, frustrated "Maybe you’re trying too hard Sometimes your power doesn’t hen you drain yourself" He delicately grazes his finger across o lie down and try to sleep for a bit, and then try again when you wake up"

I want to protest because sleeping feels like the last thing I need to do, but I nod, deciding I’ I’iveout, his lips quirking with a I haven’t seen in a few days "You want soard the hurt that flashes across his face at my rejection "Sorry, but I won’t sleep if you’re in there" I force a shtly

I dash up the stairs and intowhat I’ lancing in all the nooks and corners "Are you in here?" I anticipate a response, but all I can hear is the wind howling outside "If you can hear … I have questions about the note I think you left onto the dead, flopping down onto the bed on , just like I used to do when I was e "Idesperate," I ," a low pitch voice suddenly says

My eyes widen as I hastily sit up, ski my room for whoever spoke to me, but I don’t see anyone "Who’s there… Nicholas, is that you?" It doesn’t sound like hi the idea just yet

"That’s not the question you should be asking" The voice tsks "You’re not focusing on the proble everywhere when I speak because I’m not sure where to focus--the voice see me "Are you the one who left the note?"

They ain"

I cliuising your voice like a game show host?"

"Ge on other things and start focusing on saving the world"

"That’s kind of what I’ve been doing" I move over to my closet and threw it open, but it’s vacant

"Coht question"

"Okay" I shut the closet door, turn around, and lean against it "How can I get into theWe have a winner" A pause "With the Purple Flame"

"I already have the Purple Flame" I draw back the curtain and peer out theIt’s raining outside, puddles and rass, sidewalks, and streets "It didn’t work"

Silence

I sigh, turning away froet the Purple Flao," they say with exaggerated cheerfulness "Now look at your arm"

I kneel up and elevate my arm in front of reen lines tracing my skin…" I flip my hand over and look at the hideous lines Stasha’s death left onit not to work?"

"You can’t restore life with death in your hand," they tell h, that actually makes sense But the death in o away?"

"Go back and ask her to take it away" The voice is fading